Harry Reginald (Reg) Dodson was born in Nelson on the 20st December 1882, second child and eldest son of Henry and Ellen Susan Dodson. Harry was part of the family of seven, four boys and three girls.

Reg and his siblings were raised from an early age by their mother as their father, Henry, died in 1895 at the age of 45.

The family lived in Cleveland Road, Nelson at ‘The Hill’ with the children attending Central School.

As a young man Reg joined the company established by his grandfather Joseph Reid Dodson, J R Dodson & Son Brewery and Aerated Water Works. Reg worked alongside his uncle Richard Duncan.

In March 1916 Reg made his first attempt to enlist in the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces (NZEF). It was noted in papers in the South Island and Wellington[i]:

​

‘Mr H R Dodson the well-known brewer, of Nelson, has enlisted.’

However Reg did not pass the medical and received instead an ‘Acknowledgement

of offer for services’ dated 8th March 1916:[ii]

‘but it was found that he did not come up to the present standard for Active Service.

The disability however, is only temporary being due to ‘not sufficient chest expansion’

which, if remedied, will probably fit the volunteer for Active Service. ‘

Reg enlisted a second time and again received an ‘Acknowledgement of offer for

services.’ This one dated 1st May 1916 noted that:[iii]

‘but it was found that he did not come up to the present standard for Active Service.

The disability however, is only temporary being due to in one case poor physique,

which, if remedied, will probably fit the volunteer for Active Service. ‘

Reg enlisted again and in December 1916 and was required to attend another

medical where he was passed as fit. The medical noted the 33 year old was 5’ 2” tall,

a single man employed as a brewer and that he had dark complexion, dark hair and

grey eyes. The medical also noted that he had asthma from the age of twenty but he

had excellent teeth. [iv]

46227 Private Harry Reginald Dodson 1917

46227 Private Harry Reginald Dodson was enlisted in the 26th Reinforcements on the 4th January 1917 and left Nelson with the other men of the Nelson quota on the 6th February 1917. This was the last Nelson District quota made up of volunteers.

Departure of the 26th Reinforcements

​In Trentham Private Dodson was posted to the 29th Reinforcements as 46227 Corporal Dodson. The 29th Reinforcements NCO’s then underwent training in army procedures prior to the recruitment of the other ranks. This training was over the six months and Corporal Dodson was allow leave to travel back to Nelson as on 29th May

1917 the Nelson Evening Mail carried the following[v]​

While in camp Corporal Dodson was able to see his

younger brother Harold Percy Dodson who had

also enlisted as 54019 Rifleman Dodson, NZRB.[vi]

In Trentham, in late July 1917, Corporal Dodson was

notified that a younger brother, 6/3683 Private

Sydney Reid Dodson, 12th (Nelson) Company,

2nd Battalion Canterbury Infantry Regiment (CIR)

was posted as ‘missing believed killed’ during the

Battle of Messines.[vii]

On 15th August 1917 Corporal Dodson along with the 171 men that made up C Company, 29th Reinforcements, CIR left New Zealand for service on the Western Front. They were shipped to Glasgow, Scotland and then travelled by train to

Sling Camp where in October 1917 Corporal Dodson was allocated to the 4th Reserve Battalion of the Canterbury Infantry Regiment. Reg joined other reinforcements and reverted to the rank of Lance Corporal prior to his posting to France.

Lance Corporal Dodson arrived in France in November 1917 and before being posted to his regiment reverted, at his own request, to Private. On the 19th December 1917 he joined the 12th (Nelson) Company, 1st Battalion, CIR. The Canterbury Infantry Regiment at the time was in the Polygon Wood facing the Polderhoek Chateau.[viii]

Private Dodson wrote a diary covering the period he was at the front which on most days noted they were shelled including on the second day a simple note “In the trenches on gas and S.O.G. guard. Capt Charters in charge. Shrap strike on tin hat. “

Reg wrote that Christmas Day was cold with snow and the Germans shelled the trenches with gas and high explosives (HE). The practice was to move replacement troops up to the trenches for a number of days then move back to the rear for rest before once again moving forward. Some entries are underlined like the 10th

Private Dodson kitted out for No Man's Land with gas mask and wire cutters

The cold and wet conditions started to impact on Private Dodson with diary entries noting pains in arms and legs, not feeling too good and of the horrible taste of shell smoke.

On the 20th January 1918 Private Dodson, along with 30 others was sent to Ottawa Camp for special training. However on arrival he was sent to the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) where his asthma was assessed and he was then sent to Estaples, a 8 hour journey in Queen Harry’s Ambulance train which was ‘beautiful’.[ix]

In Estaples Private Dodson was admitted on 24th January 1918, to the 7th Canadian Hospital where a “nice Dr says possible gas – can taste shell smoke.” On 31st January 1918, following assessment, Private Dodson was evacuated to

Calais, then to England arriving on 1st February 1918 to Ward 13, New Zealand General Hospital, Brockenhurst with

asthma and bronchitis.

Private Dodson remained at Brockenhurst for two months; the stay was lengthened by a bout of Trench Fever. On the

14th March 1918 he was classified as unfit for service by a medical board. Finally on the 6th April 1918 was then taken by ambulance train to Aronmouth where he was loaded onto HMNZHS Marama for the return to New Zealand. It was while the HMNZHS Marama was enroute between Pitcairn Island and New Zealand that Reg and Kobe’s first child Kathryn Nanette was born on the 7th May 1918.

The Marama arrived in Auckland on the 15th May 1918 and Private Dodson travelled to Nelson where on 21st June 1918

he attended a final medical board where he was given privilege leave up to the 6th August 1918 at which time he was discharged as no longer physically fit for war service (asthma).

Reg Dodson returned to work at J R Dodson & Company. Reg and Kobe purchase a family home in 39 Manuka Street, Nelson where two more children, sons; David Reid Blecynden and Ashford Blechynden Dodson were born.

In World War Two, when Reg’s nephews the Duncan boys were overseas on war service, Reg was the managing director

of JR Dodson & Son Ltd. He died on the 13th July 1945 and is buried in the Nelson Cemetery.